1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to container apparatus for use with mechanized material handling systems, and in particular, to container apparatus having open sides through which the container contents may be viewed during a handling operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Despite the increasingly widespread use of non-traditional packaging materials, paperboard containers are oftentimes the most cost effective and easiest to handle, especially in an automated packaging environment. Traditionally, electrical appliances and especially large consumer appliances, such as refrigerators, proceed down an assembly line while resting on a skid or tray-like portion. A collapsible, but rigid, tubular paperboard . container having an open bottom end is then telescopically inserted over the top of the appliance and its lower end is secured to the skid to form a completed container assembly enclosing the appliance.
An improved packaging is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,804, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The patent describes a tubular carton with closed sidewalls, having a pocket at its upper end for receiving a lifting blade, and has been met with widespread commercial acceptance.
During shipping, appliances are moved from place to place, exposing the container and its contents to possible damage. In some instances, it is desired to inspect the appliances for damage, while in transit to an end user. However, with traditional tubular, closed sidewall paperboard containers, the appliance is obscured from visual inspection. In order to inspect the appliance, the container would have to be opened, leading to possible damage. Further, such inspections are labor intensive.
An alternative container is desired which would allow the appliance to be visually inspected without opening or destroying the container. More specifically, a container having open-sided walls would allow the appliance to be inspected without requiring significant labor. Also, less material is required to construct the open-sided container, thereby reducing the raw material costs.
In traditional tubular paperboard packaging, clearance above the appliance is required to allow lifting of the container above the appliance and telescopically inserting the container over the appliance. It may, however, be desired in some assembly line operations to reserve the clearance space above the appliance for other functions. Thus, it is desirable to provide a container that does not have to be lifted above the appliance, but can be wrapped around the appliance or slid around the appliance.